Daily "Euro" Pinching

Daily "Euro" Pinching

The ways I have learned how to save money in Europe everyday have come to me through honest-to-goodness trial and error. It’s been a process, but I’m becoming an expert and love to share my learnings. At first I found it very difficult to stay on my right budget but everyday found new ways to “pinch my euros,” starting with analyzing the true value of what I wanted or needed and beginning to adhere to a “take this not that” mentality. To travel long term, you have to get creative while remembering a few simple concepts.

Priorities. What’s most important to you? That dinner out or another two nights in that city you love?

Ability. Are you able to pay less for “x” or not? If so, always find the cheaper way. Ie. Taking a train or bus versus flying.

Minimalism. Be a minimalist to the best of your ability. This is SO different for everyone. My minimalist self may seem the opposite to an experienced backpacker, while it may look bareboned to the average passerby. We all define minimalism differently, but the point remains the same. Live the good life longer… by living on less.

You can find shirts for 2-5 euro and pants for 5-10 euro. Can’t beat that! When traveling, it’s all about practicality- not style- so save money and just buy the clothes that will work for you.

Find all the freebies- museum days, etc.

Free visit to The Palacio de Cristal in Madrid

Don’t be afraid to go down alley ways.

The places off the beaten path are where you’ll find the “hidden gems,” as I like to call them, of restaurants and cafes. Usually more authentic food for half the price.

Full lunch with white wine for less than 10 euro in Barcelona, Spain.

Some good general rules:

Never eat where there are street vendors selling selfie sticks (and please don’t buy a selfie stick), because this means you are in a very touristic area where prices are bound to be higher.

Grocery shop at large groceries stores instead of small specialty shops and save yourself at least 25% of the cost.

When going out to eat, walk at least 15 minutes away from a major square or tourist attraction.

Instead of paying for the bathroom (yes in Europe you have to pay to pee), go into a coffee shop and buy a coffee or something and use the bathroom for free while getting yourself a treat. Double win.

Book hotels/ hostels directly when you can versus using a booking site. This can sometimes save you up to 15% of the cost for accommodation.

There are so many other tips and tricks I am learning as I go and I look forward to sharing them along the journey. Long term travel is an adventure everyday, and if you want the dream to last, it always comes down to how many dollars (or euros) you have left. Pinch your euros and keep the wandering lifestyle as long as possible- at least that’s what I am trying to do!

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On August 14th, 2015 I left my life in the United States behind with the intention to never look back. I had the "American Dream" and I woke up from it, to create a new reality for myself. I sought out beauty in a world that was increasingly dark for me at the time and ended up finding more than I bargained for. With only a backpack, I traveled across Europe, South East Asia and then on to Africa. With over 30 countries stamped in my passport, I've become an entirely new version of myself with a broader perspective on what it means to be a woman in today's world. My hope is that by sharing my stories and featuring women like me from around the world, we can inspire others to break down their own internal barriers and go cross a few international borders while they're at it. I truly believe travel can be healing to a troubled soul, empowering to the lost and rejuvenating for the exhausted. Perspective is everything, and I believe in the power of "going global," what about you? SheGoesGlobal.net is a site that started out with my stories and grew into a platform for women all around the world to tell their travel tales of trials and triumph. We all believe that the more you see of the world, the better you can be as a person who inhabits it. Women encouraging other women to grow, travel, evolve- that's what SGG is all about. ---> Read my very first blog post (see "Archives" for August 2015) to learn how this all began.

if you haven’t tried airbnb already you should take a look – you can often get rooms cheaper than staying in a hostel, and its a fab way of getting to meet people from the country your visiting. we’ve shared meals with our hosts and we learn so much about their past and present way of life. – if you’ve not joined yet here £13 to use http://www.airbnb.co.uk/c/ltravels1?s=8
Glad to find another selfie stick hater!
Safe travels xx

[…] for extra ways to pinch and make the finances go just a little bit longer. Heather’s tips on saving with the euro and debunking the necessities are great places to start when funding travels and, more importantly, […]